Process and apparatus for cleaning radiators



' Feb. 12,1929.

J. M. ROBINSON PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING RADIATORS Filed April16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .2540. Zh-WM Feb. 12, 1929. r 1,701,824

I J. M. ROBINSON PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING mnnwons Filed Aprilis. 1928 2 smug-sheet 2 gwuewliot A supportin frame structure comprisesthe orward an rear legs 10 and 11, respectively, connected at theirupper ends by side rails 12 and near their lower ends by side rails 13.The rails 13 extend forwardly as at 14 to provide a support for aradiator 15.

The side rails 12 are connected at their ends by upper cross rails 16and the legs 10 and 11 are connected near their lower ends by lowercross rails 17 and 18, respectively. The outer ends of the extendedportions 14 are connected by a cross rail 19.

Supported between the rails 12 is a tank 20, which has flanges 21,extended outwardly to engage the rails. A cover 22 is provided tocompletely cover the tank and has an opening 23, in which is supported afunnel 24 provided with a sediment screen 24".

A pump 25 is supported upon the cross rail 17 and an intermediate crossrail 26 and is connected to the tank 20 by its intake pipe 27, the tankdischarge pipe 28 and an intervening valve 29, controlled by a handwheel 30.

A motor 31 is supported upon intermediate cross rails 32, secured to thelower longitudidina-l rails 13, and is provided with a drive pulley 33,connected to a drive pulley 34 on the pump by means of a belt 35. Thebelt drive is used as a safety measure against possible breakage, due tooverloading of the pump.

The outlet 36 of the pump is connected by an elbow 37 to a laterallyextending discharge pipe 38, which brings the discharge connection ofthe pump to the side of the machine where it will be opposite the returnconnection 39 of the radiator 15.

It may be stated at this point that the radiator is supported in aninverted position be tween the arms 14 with its hose connections facingthe machine. The purpose of this arrangement will be more fullyexplained hereinafter.

The discharge pipe 38 is connected by an elbow 40 to an upwardlyextending ipe 41, which in turn is connected by an elbow 42, having anipple end 43,to a. sleeve 44, which is threaded upon the nipple 43.Where a very small radiator connection is encountered, the nipple 44 maybe removed. A flex ible hose 45 is employed to connect the nipple 44with the discharge connection 39.

The tank connection 46 of the radiator is connected by a. flexible hose47 to the funnel woman the tank 20 and by a return pipe 53 to the end ofthe tank near the top thereof. The heater shown is-a gas heater of a.common type and tank, might be substituted effectively for the heatershown.

In the operation of the process, the radiator 15 is removed from thevehicle and placed in the inverted position already described and shownin Figs. 1 and 2'with the discharge pipe from the pump connected to thereturn connection from the radiator and the return pipe to the tank 20connected to the tank connection 46. The solution is heated to atemperature approaching the boiling point and the motor is started,causing the pump to deliver the solution to the radiator. The pump 25 isa. positive pressure pump. The effect upon the pump of the resistance ofthe radiator channels to the flow of liquid will be to regulate thespeed of the pump. The pum will be constrained to operate at the spee atwhich it can deliver the amount of solution which it is receivingthrough the in- ,take pipe 27. Thus with the valve 29 only opened aslight amount at the beginning, the pump will be able to operate closeto the maximum speed of the motor 31. In practice, the

valve is opened sufficiently so that the pump and motor will labor.-When thus laboring it will deliver a more forceful flow of. solution tothe radiator than if it were passing only the amount of solution perminute which could freely circulatethrough the radiator.

As the solution gradually cleans out the channels of the radiator, theoperator opens the valve, at intervals, so as to keep the pump and motorlaboring. This accomplishes two important functions. In the'first place,as has already been brought out, the pump will positively force as muchsolution through the radiator per minute as the power of the motor willdetermine and this forced flow will act mechanically upon the particleswedged between the walls of the radiator channels to force them out. Inthe second place, the laboring of the pump and motor are easily detectedby the operator and furnish a clue to .advise him of the freedom ofcirculation of the solution through the radiator. The pump and valve areso coordinated that when the valve is completely opened and the pump isthus delivering a full stream to the radiator,

the pump will be traveling at substantially,

its full rate without laboring, provided that the radiator channels havebeen completely cleared. It will be understood that the coordination ofthe pump and the valve, in relation to the channels of the radiator,cannot be made entirely accurate for the reason that radiators will varyin theircapacity. For truck radiators, assuming the machine to havebleep set for a smaller radiator, the full full freedom of flow. Iowever, for any par-v ticular class of radiators such as, for instance,those used on the ordinary, medium-priced passenger vehicle, the pumpand valve may be set for this particular class of radiators so as toindicate definitely the moment the radiator has been entirely cleared.

Summing up briefly the foregoing discussion of the functions of thevalve and motor, the theory of operation is as follows: The changingcapacity of the radiator caused by the gradual removal of the sedimentcuts down its resistance to the flow oi the solution. The opening of thevalve increases the load upon the motor. The decrease of the resistanceof the radiator correspondingly de creases the load upon the motor. Theload which the motor is carrying can he determined by the speed ofrotation, or, as it is commonly termed, the laboring of the motor. Theoperator can thus regulate the stream of solution, so as to enert aconstant torce against the radiator by gradually opening thevalve andkeeping the motor laboring substantially the same amount. When the motorhas ceased to labor after the valve has been fully opened, theresistance of the radiator has been cut downto a minimum.

The radiator overflow pipe is plugged in order to retain the pressureand the filling cap is tightly closed for the same purpose.

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It may now be noted that my process rovides a constant flow of liquidfrom the ct tom of the radiator to the top thereof (the radiator beinginverted and the how being downwardly), as indicated by the arrow 61.There are three important elements'of process here involved. In thefirst place, the flow is in the reverse direction to the normal flow ofwater through the radiator. Thus the de posit of foreign material, whichis seldom more than of an inch deep, is forced out in the direction fromwhich it entered the radiator channels.

In the second place, the flow is constantly in the same direction sothat there may be no tendency of the forced flow of solution to forcethe particles any further in the direction in which they originallyentered the radiator channels.

it may be noted that the constant flow in a direction reverse to that ofnormal flow- With the particles thus deposited in the tank 62, whichacts as a sediment trap to prevent the particles flowing back into thetank 20 after the radiator has been cleared, the sediment may be flushedout by removing the cap 60 and attaching a water hose to either one ofthe connections. Before this is done, however, the radiator is tipped upsuificientl to allow the solution remaining in the tan 62 to flourthrough the connection 46 into the funnel 24.

Summing up the essential elements of my process, it will be seen thatthey. are as follows! I I 1. Using a solution adapted to remove scalewithout attaching the metal of the radiator.

2. Forcing the solntion through the rediator under positive pressure.

8. Regulating the load by means of a valve.

l. Forcing the solution constantly throu *h the radiator in a directionreverse to toe normal flow of water through the radiator during thedislodging of sediment.

5. llnverti-ng the radiator and forcing the solution downwardlytherethrough so that the radiator tank may act as a sediment trap and sothat the particles, when once dislodged, may drop hy gravity away fromthe radiator channels.

6. Clogging all openings of the radiator till except the two hoseconnections in order to stated, including the cleaning of a radiator .ina minimum length of time:

1. Heating the solution to increase its activity.

2. Employing a pump which will indicate I by its laboring the load whichit is carrying. Some changes may be made in the construc tion andarrangement of the parts of my in.-

vention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of myinvention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modifiedforms of structure or useof mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within t ieir scope.

ll claim as my invention:

1. A. process of cleaning vehicle radiators, comprising the followingsteps: inverting the radiator, plugging all. openings to its in teriorexcept the water hose connections, pumping a solution adapted to removescale without attackingthe metal of the radiator, through the radiatorin a direction reverse to the normal flow of water through the radiator,and maintaining the said direction of flow constant during the removalof sediment.

2. A rocess of'cleaning vehicle radiators, comprising the followingsteps: inverting throu h the radiator.

the radiator, plugging all openings to interior except the water hoseconnections, pumping a solution adapted to re-movescale withoutattackingthe metal of the radlator, through the radiator in a direction reversetothe normal flow of water through the radlator, maintaining the saiddirection of flow constant during the removal of sediment, and thenflushing the-dislodged sediment from the radiator tankby a stream ofwater.

3. A process of cleaning vehicle radiators, comprising the followingsteps: inverting the radiator, pumping a solution adapted to removescale without attacking the metal of the radiator, through the radiatorin a. direction reverse to the normal flow of water 4. A recess ofcleaning vehicle radiators, comprising the following steps: invertingthe radiator, plugging all openings to its interior except two, andpumping a solution adapted to remove scale without attacking the metalof the radiator, into one of said opening's, causin the solution toflow, through the radiator ma direction reverse to the normal flow ofwaterthrough the radiator.

5. A process of cleaning vehicle radiators, comprising the followingsteps: inverting the radiator, plugging all openings to its interiorexcept two, pumping, under pressure,

. a solution adapted to remove'scale Without attacking the metal of theradiator, into one of said openings, causing the solution to flowthrough the radiator in a direction reverse to the normal flow of Waterthrough the radiator, and maintaining said pressure substantiallyconstant during cleaning of the radiator.

Signed this 13th day of April, 1928, in the county of Woodbury and Stateof Iowa.

